PWW Brain Drain

[Daniel Rode]

Robert Lang, Glen Huey and Chuck Bender have all "elected to leave" Popular Woodworking following a restructuring of the parent company.

The realities of the publishing industry are what they are but it seems like they've lost most of what I found interesting in the magazine. In my mind, PWW creative talent has been gutted :(

[Jim Koepke]

I kind of noticed this with a previous shuffling of the deck about a year ago.

I submitted one article and the communication seemed great.

The next submission, after some structural changes at the magazine, wasn't acknowledged until my second try and then the reply was a bit vague.

The experience left me feeling like it isn't worth the bother. Maybe the current reshuffling of the deck left others feeling the same way.

I have seen similar occurrences in other industries. New management comes in and "upsets the apple cart." Those who have other prospects leave. Pretty soon no one is happy and then some new manager proclaims, "we tried to save it but it was already too far gone." There are a few places where I have seen "new management" come in to extract as much as can be taken from a business with no regard for how long it can be sustained.

Magazine publishing is having a difficult time competing with what the general public sees as "free stuff" on line. Why buy a magazine you have to carry with you when you want something to read on the commute to work or when eating lunch? After all it is right there on your smart phone just by hitting a virtual button.

jtk

[Jim Matthews]

I anticipate increased subscription services from writers that want to pen project pieces.

The market is cyclical, with a concentration on basic instruction first and foremost.

There's little in the intermediate tier, where Hacks like me top out - time and talent
conspire from people like me making great furniture. Guidance on making good
furniture is appreciated, and rare.

The business model likely concentrates on selling advertising, and how-to books
published by the parent company.

Established writers can skip the middle man, and offer directly to readers.

If they keep their submissions fresh, this might be good for those that are leaving.

Personally, I think the magazines publish too frequently to keep quality high.
New issues quarterly, with reprints of "How to" and "Best of" articles
would be sufficient to keep the readers engaged.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Publishing anything from local newspapers to magazines is quickly becoming a dying trade due largely to the internet. Today anybody can start a woodworking blog for example and become a rival for a printed woodworking magazine.

To me it's sad and IMO it's not necessarily a good thing.

I prefer a printed document as I can look at the pictures and read the relative information. I prefer our local newspaper over any of the news television channels or internet news medias, as they don't "obsess" on a single story or topic and frankly, again IMO, the local newspaper provides better national coverage. The major television news shows tend to place more emphasis on the major population areas, primarily the east coast and southern California.

New management was probably brought in because the magazine was no longer making a profit. Companies that don't make a profit go out of business. It's not unusual in any business, for long time workers to not like new working conditions when new management takes over a company. I saw it twice in my 34 year career in medical diagnostic imaging equipment. I once was sent to Michigan to work for the better part of two months when every field engineer in the state quit when a large corporation bought our small corporation to prevent it from going bankrupt. 8 years later that corporation sold us to a larger corporation, I saw the repeat performance. Certain individuals quit when or shortly after the FTC approved the buyout.


The publishing business is a tough place to be today because of the new technology that is replacing the need for their products.

[David Weaver]

I think it's a shame. I don't know much about bob lang or glen, but I recall that one of them (glen?) left because he had client work to do and then came back, or something of that sort. And then Chuck moved from Philadelphia, which gave them some bona fide credibility in terms of someone who had literally made a living only doing high level work for quite some time, something that's very rare these days (as in, running a business that sells woodworking product and skill vs. doing a little bit of that and writing about it every time you do it).

I hope wherever Chuck lands, he's not set back too far after uprooting himself from the philly region (presumably where his clients were) and then going to Cincinnati.

Always found Bob Lang to be a real reasonable guy interested in the content, too. Just a shame.

I suppose I'm as guilty as anyone else, though, I've stopped getting magazines except for shooting times (and for some reason that one keeps coming to me despite not paying for it). Not necessarily, though, because the magazines are something I wouldn't buy if I was starting over again, but just because most of the articles that anything would cover don't really ring my bell (you know, you sort of get into your own silo with how you finish pieces, what you do to plane, and general articles don't move the clapper unless they're something in your narrow silo).

[Dave Anderson NH]

In addition what Ken said directly, often when there is a reshuffling, reorganization, or what in reality is a downsizing, folks with prospects leave because they feel insecure and worry whether or not they will have a job when the announced changes take place. I've seen it in other industries after a buyout or when the announcement is made of a buyout being in the final stages of negotiations. As an example, what company needs 2 IT departments or 2 accounting departments? What is happening now in the magazine industry is that corporate consolidations mean that writers and editors with expertise in a single field are now expected to write and/or edit for areas they know nothing about in addition to their area of specialization. Perhaps the more successful model from a strictly financial standpoint is the one Taunton uses for its magazines. Hire editors and use the readers to write the articles for you on a pay per article basis. It reduces the need to deal with payroll taxes, pay employee benefits, and you are never overstaffed. All of the woodworking magazines I know of already have outside contractors do their subscription services, printing, and mailing. The current term in vogue is "outsourcing" and I unfortunately suspect that it is the only way the print magazine industry will survive.

[Tony Zaffuto]

Cut costs by forcing those with substance out.

I've been a subscriber for sometime, absolutely thought the PWW handtool only mag, Woodwork, was great, but alas, it went by the wayside, folded into PWW, which seems to be getting thinner and thinner. When my subscription concludes, unless they pull off a real "rope-a-dope", I'm done.

[Dave Anderson NH]

Concur Tony!! I've already received a renewal notice and email but have done nothing yet. I suspect I will let the subscription lapse. Not necessarily because of just content, but because I've been shedding almost all magazine subscriptions. PWW is the only one I have left. I shed FWW about 5 years ago after they dumbed down the content.

[lowell holmes]

They are featuring Frank Strazza in a webinar. There will be no talent drop off if Frank is becoming involved.

[Bradley Gray]

I started making a living as a wood worker in 1975 and the timing of articles in the early FWW mags amazed me. I remember struggling with building a 3 phase converter and here's a FWW article just when I needed it. At about issue 50 things began to repeat. When router reviews made the cover I gave it up. I realized that this wasn't a personal tutorial it was a business trying to sell advertising and entry level articles suited the advertisers better.

[Jim Matthews]

...it was a business trying to sell advertising and entry level articles suited the advertisers better.

Yep.
I thought PWW was different.

My bad.

[Tony Zaffuto]

What I have seriously found, is that classic woodworking books (as well as many great volumes by recent authors) are available used on Amazon for many times next to nothing (and in any case, less than the subscription cost of most mags). Give me a page-worn book by Charles Hayward any day over where print media is heading.

For all that is now being written, as far as our love of hand tool woodworking, is any of it truly new? I will miss Robert Lang most of all, mainly because of my love of "arts & craft" furniture. Next will be Chuck Bender, and although he was not there long enough to say why, but I connected with how he conveyed his craft. Finally comes Glenn Huey. Glenn presented a great mix of power and hand, and though I have several of his books, my leaning is still more in the hand tool camp.

What it comes down to, will PWW hit the ground running with comparable replacements, or will they expect us subscribers to stick around, supporting them with undue hopes of the mag at least remaining equal to the past half dozen years? I think I will seek out the classics.

[Winton Applegate]

I feel very fortunate to have gotten in on the best of the magazine period. Old issues of FWW (the quarterly and black and white ones) were still in used book stores back then and I enjoyed the heck out of hunting for them.

I have tried the computer versions a little but they leave out old articles that are in the paper magazines (royalties problems partly) and I have file drawers full of articles and clippings from the later mags and I cannot (or won't) easily do that with the online stuff. The on line stuff could be so much more but there doesn't seem to be the money to do that right either.

I have been known to buy two issues of one mag just so I can cut out and file the articles that are really important to me. Biographical and historical as well as projects and how to.

It has been a long time since I saw articles like that in modern paper mags so the heck with them anyway.

Just about everything I see on line I can say the same for.

Give me old FWW and the Woodwork mags any day over what is out there now or the last several years.

On the weekend every couple of months, Q and I used to hit our favorite magazine shop (closed now) and buy thirty to fifty dollars worth of magazines each and head for the coffee shop for the day and camp out reading and sharing.

We tried to support the industry we enjoyed so much. Not anymore. Things have changed so much.
We would do the same if we could get the mags in the quality and topics but they aren't there.

[Mel Fulks]

I'm a big fan of Charles Haywards books too. Each of his books covers so much detail.

[Graham Haydon]

A bit off topic but yes to the books of Charles Hayward. I have four titles that were between £0.01 > £6.00 plus postage.

[Moses Yoder]

I have not bought a magazine now for a long time. My internet costs me $30 a month, a lot more than any magazine subscription, and fulfills the same need. If I was just starting out maybe I would buy magazines again but I have hundreds of them and books on shelves. I don't have time to use the ones I have. I like the FWW site and use their index search function to find articles and would be devastated if that disappeared somehow; I think the future of magazines is in web production, especially video, and paper will die out after a while.

[Curt Harms]

I have not bought a magazine now for a long time. My internet costs me $30 a month, a lot more than any magazine subscription, and fulfills the same need. If I was just starting out maybe I would buy magazines again but I have hundreds of them and books on shelves. I don't have time to use the ones I have. I like the FWW site and use their index search function to find articles and would be devastated if that disappeared somehow; I think the future of magazines is in web production, especially video, and paper will die out after a while.

I think you're right. Woodworking is one of those places where a well shot 1-2 minute video clip can be worth at least a thousand words. I'm in an ongoing project to scan what seem like worthwhile articles from old woodworking magazines and tossing them.

[Simon MacGowen]

My take on magazines is definitely different from some of yours, at least regarding FW magazine, if not all others as well. I still find some authors offering good observations or techniques that I don't find from the books or old issues I have read. I am also not so sure about the free stuff on the Internet, some are good but not everything is right as it is not "vetted" in the same sense as a properly edited magazine.

True, some magazines including PW magazine can be disappointing but you'll never find a perfect woodworking publication out there. It doesn't exist.

No doubt the going of these gents at PW is a brain drain in the short term, but we don't know what is in the store after they are gone. So, will it bring a brain gain? It is too early to tell. I wouldn't rule out anything yet.

Someone (here or elsewhere) said about the changes in editors at FW negatively. I actual keep my subscription because of that. I like freshness and I don't like seeing more or less the same projects from more or less the same editors and writers, time again and again. I am not saying Chris Schwarz is no good, but if I read PW, I don't want to see his projects every time. Same for other people like Roy Underhill, etc. Don't tell me you can only learn from them.

Contrary to what others feel, I am not tired of reading magazines -- yet.

Simon

[Bob Lang]

Over the last few years it has become obvious that the values we have for the craft of woodworking, creating and marketing content, and relations with the audience are not shared by the management of Popular Woodworking and its parent company. When you realize that the boat you’re on isn’t ever going to sail in the direction you want to go to, it is best to get off. And, as when any relationship comes to an end, the public discussion of the details serves no purpose.

There is enough spin and speculation online regarding our departure to warrant a response. To clarify, we resigned our positions as a team and going forward we will be working together as a team. Our decision to leave was not a hasty one, it came after a year and a half of discussing our concerns regarding the brand’s editorial direction and marketing policies with management at all levels of the company. The “restructuring” occurred several months ago, with the departure of Kevin Ireland. While that was a factor, it was not the sole cause. While we have been asked to submit contributions in the future, none of us has accepted that invitation.

We want to thank each and every one of our readers who have taken the time to express their appreciation for our work. We are honored, humbled and dedicated to living up to the things you have said about us. We have decided to move on and we hope that those who enjoy our work will find the next phase of our careers as interesting and exciting as we do. We can be found online at 360woodworking.com and if you visit the site, you will be in the front row as our plans unfold.

— Bob Lang, Glen Huey & Chuck Bender

[Tony Zaffuto]

I've registered to the new website, but nothing appears to be showing yet.

[Bob Lang]

I've registered to the new website, but nothing appears to be showing yet.
Work in progress, lot's going on behind the scenes. Stay tuned

[Moses Yoder]

Mr Lang, I am not on Twitter; will I get progress updates in my email?

[Bob Lang]

Hi Moses,

Yes you will, but we won't be jamming up anybody's inbox.

[Paul Sidener]

Over the last few years it has become obvious that the values we have for the craft of woodworking, creating and marketing content, and relations with the audience are not shared by the management of Popular Woodworking and its parent company. When you realize that the boat you’re on isn’t ever going to sail in the direction you want to go to, it is best to get off. And, as when any relationship comes to an end, the public discussion of the details serves no purpose.

There is enough spin and speculation online regarding our departure to warrant a response. To clarify, we resigned our positions as a team and going forward we will be working together as a team. Our decision to leave was not a hasty one, it came after a year and a half of discussing our concerns regarding the brand’s editorial direction and marketing policies with management at all levels of the company. The “restructuring” occurred several months ago, with the departure of Kevin Ireland. While that was a factor, it was not the sole cause. While we have been asked to submit contributions in the future, none of us has accepted that invitation.

We want to thank each and every one of our readers who have taken the time to express their appreciation for our work. We are honored, humbled and dedicated to living up to the things you have said about us. We have decided to move on and we hope that those who enjoy our work will find the next phase of our careers as interesting and exciting as we do. We can be found online at 360woodworking.com and if you visit the site, you will be in the front row as our plans unfold.

— Bob Lang, Glen Huey & Chuck Bender

Bob thank you for posting. I look forward to seeing what you guys are working on. I will miss you in the magazine. That being said, I also look forward to the new brain trust at PWW. I like to think you can learn something from anyone. I can say I have learned from you, Glen, Chuck and Christopher, and will continue to see what you guys put out. Thank you for what you have done.

[Daniel Rode]

I'm encouraged to hear that Bob, Glen and Chuck are teaming up to provide some type of woodworking content. I think the market is there if they can the right content and deliver it in the right way (easier said than done!). I look forward to seeing what they create.

Good luck with the new venture!